The Farming Independent is delighted to support the Clik All-Ireland and International Sheep Shearing and Wool Handling Championships in Cillin Hill, Kilkenny, this weekend.

We will have all our sheep experts on our stand in the main pavilion for the duration of the weekend. On Saturday, Tipperary sheep farming columnist John Large and Wicklow-based operator Andrew Kinsella will be available to discuss the issues of the day, while on Sunday, the Galway-based sheep-trade analyst Joe Healy and well-known columnist John Shirley will be looking forward to meeting their readers.

With a crowd in excess of 15,000 expected, the event should be buzzing. Indeed, the festival is certain to attract not only dedicated sheep farmers but interested observers as well.

2,000 sheep making cut

MORE than 2,000 sheep from counties Kilkenny, Carlow, Laois and Tipperary will be shorn on stage over the two-day sheep shearing championships, according to sheep procurement manager Tony Byrne.

The selection process for the sheep has been running since before Christmas, with Mr Byrne canvassing farmers for large numbers of dry ewe hoggets to use at the festival.

The majority are Suffolk crosses, with some pure Suffolk and Texel ewes also in the mix, although the breed is not the most important criteria for the shearing sheep.

"I need to have all sheep in each competition to be the same size," he said.

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Crutching and final selection of ewes has been ongoing for the past two weeks.

The sheep will arrive on site on Saturday morning and spend only the minimum time at the venue before being returned.

Aussie's day of destiny

Jeff CollIer, from Newbridge, Co Kildare, and originally from Australia, is undertaking a 24-hour marathon sheep shear for charity at the All-Ireland Sheep Shearing Championships in Cillin Hill, Kilkenny, this weekend.

The marathon is in aid of Barnardos and Aware, two deserving charities and Mr Collier, together with shearers from all over the country, will attempt to shear more than 500 sheep in the 24-hour session.

Farmers in the Kilkenny/ Carlow/Laois region who want their sheep sheared for free can call Mr Collier at 087 224 8042.